Refused entry - with convictions

[warrior]

I'm sure this has been asked before but I've tried searching but all I get it Disney Visa info.

Is anyone aware of a person being refused entry into the USA after not declaring a previous conviction.

There seems to be a lot of activity with regard obtaining visa's from the embassy so I wondered if there had been an increase in people being refused entry at immigration.

By the way I don't have any convictions/arrests etc - but have noticed more and more people traveling to London for the visa.

Anyone know anything?

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I have no idea.

Ive read many stories of people not bothering to get a visa and just going on the VWP.

But as the Embassy says you must appy for a Visa if you have ever been arrested or have a criminal record.

Its obv up to the indivdiual what they feel is best to do.

 

[warrior]

But as the Embassy says you must appy for a Visa if you have ever been arrested or have a criminal record.

Its obv up to the indivdiual what they feel is best to do.

Totally agree - it's just there seems to be more people applying for the visa than before (or I'm more aware of it) I just wondered if lots of people had been stopped.

I travel to the US quite frequently and have never seen anyone 'pulled' and I'm sure some have undisclosed arrests/convictions - or do I have a naughty mind!!

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Totally agree - it's just there seems to be more people applying for the visa than before (or I'm more aware of it) I just wondered if lots of people had been stopped.

I travel to the US quite frequently and have never seen anyone 'pulled' and I'm sure some have undisclosed arrests/convictions - or do I have a naughty mind!!

Someone told me they are only after people who have travelled on bogus passports, gun crime, drug trafficing or on the Interpol list.

But who knows what information the US athorites really have on us, im scared to think

Also got told that due to Data Protection they do not have such info on minor criminal records, but who am i to know

 

[warrior]

Ha ha Big Brother probably is watching us!!

I'm sure there is so much data on us all that we have no idea about although if anyone is watching me they'd be pretty bored!!

This is usually me:



Nothing very exciting at all!!

 

[alexandra uk]

Simon and Susan know of people being turned back. I read it on the Attraction Tickets Direct forums.

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

I know when i went in 2004 and back in 2001 i was arrested and cautioned for stealing a camera film i knew nothing of the visa thingy till i was on the plane and read the VWP to say the least i was scared out my brain would by lying lol. I was thinking if i get turned away my friend is going to be sooo angry lol.
They never said anything and waved me through, i guess i was one of the lucky ones...but things have changed so much since i last went and also the states dont class convictions after 5 years as spent so i guess pretty much your a threat in there eyes whatever you may or may not have done .

 

[cleo]

Yes, we know of people who have been denied entry and turned away.

But the real question is, do you want to break the law? A visa is required if you have been arrested. It really is as simple as that.

 

[kristieuk]

Yes, we know of people who have been denied entry and turned away.

But the real question is, do you want to break the law? A visa is required if you have been arrested. It really is as simple as that.

It's not quite as simple as that - the Visa Waiver form says

Have you ever been arrested or convicted for an offense or crime involving moral turpitude or a violation related to a controlled substance; or been arrested or convicted for two or more offenses for which the aggregate sentence to confinement was five years or more; or been controlled substance trafficker; or are you seeking entry to engage in criminal or immoral activities?

The moral turpitude part of it includes serious crimes harming people and includes rape, murder, burglary, assualt involving a weapon, and doesn't include offences such as criminal damage, drunk and disorderly, drink driving, assault without a weapon, tax evasion etc.

 

[natalielongstaff]

I would never take the risk of it ruining a trip.....just get the visa

 

[amberandolly]

Scare mongering again, if they had access to our criminal records, they would not have to get people to get their own records to take to the embassy.
I'm willing to bet that anyone denied entry on arrival is either a fairly serious criminal or some honest joe who has fessed up on the visa waiver card, instead of doing what everyone else does and ticks NO - if you believe that you were not arrested for "moral turpitude", then you are not lying.
It's simply a lovely money making scheme for the US embassy.
If it was a really serious situation and hundreds of pax were being denied entry - travel agents etc, would send out the visa waiver forms when you booked your trip, with big warnings about the consequences.
If the mods know of people being sent back then they should give us evidence - surely the people who were sent back would want others to know of their experiences?

 

[thelittlemermaid83]

Scare mongering again, if they had access to our criminal records, they would not have to get people to get their own records to take to the embassy.
I'm willing to bet that anyone denied entry on arrival is either a fairly serious criminal or some honest joe who has fessed up on the visa waiver card, instead of doing what everyone else does and ticks NO - if you believe that you were not arrested for "moral turpitude", then you are not lying.
It's simply a lovely money making scheme for the US embassy.
If it was a really serious situation and hundreds of pax were being denied entry - travel agents etc, would send out the visa waiver forms when you booked your trip, with big warnings about the consequences.
If the mods know of people being sent back then they should give us evidence - surely the people who were sent back would want others to know of their experiences?

I do agree, i have actually never read a story of someone that has been turned its always someone who says a friend of a friend.

But like i said before its really up to the indivdiual to do what they feel best.

 

[PudseyChancer]

Scare mongering againQUOTE]

Don't think I would class any advice on this subject as scare mongering, most people just don't want someone to risk being stopped and sent back, thus ruining a familys holiday.

It's fairly simple, read the restrictions, if any apply to you, then apply for a visa.

 

[amberandolly]

Exactly, when I've seen a ( very rare ) story of someone sent back, it's always "I heard this" or "I saw that" - there has never been any real representation of what the circumstances actually were - i.e. did they tick yes or no on the vwp forms? Was it a random in depth passport check that caught them out? Were they bolshy towards the immigration people?
In over 10 years I have never seen a post on any forum from a person saying "this happened to me and this is my story".
My sister's best friend is a travel agent - if it was a regular occurance, they of all people would get to hear about it, it would also be all over the news - can you imagine if gmtv got hold of the stories? 99% of first timers to America will not have heard of the vwp - the first they will know is when the cabin crew hands the forms out - a little too late then don't you think if it was SO important?
I'm not saying that it never happens, but it has to be a million to one chance of someone being caught out through ignorance or by lying ( it most likely happens if someone is silly enough to tick yes on the vwp).

 

[UKDEB]

This topic has been discussed ad infinitum on this forum in the past. This particular thread is posing a hypothetical question rather than seeking practical assistance for an actual situation so I'm going to close it. This will undoubtedly irk a few of you, but this is a trip planning forum, not a debate board, so it really does have no place here.